Bleaching, scouring, and decorticating fabrics or fibrous matter.



DLUQQL BAHON F mums a I'IULHIS,

ITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

ANDREW POULSON, OF WIDNES, ENGLAND.

BLEACHING, SCOURING, AND DECORTICATING FABRICS 0R FIBROUS MATTER.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW POULsON, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Springfield Villa, Hough Green,

VVidnes, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBleaching,

N i i scouring, and Decorticating Fabrics or Fi- F brous Matter, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved process and composition forbleaching textile fabrics or other material, such as waste paper, strawboard, or the like, and for scouring or decorticating wool or otherfibrous material and is designed to provide a more economical processthan those at present obtaining for such purposes. The present usualprocess of bleaching consists in immersing the material to be bleachedin a tank or the like containing a solution of sodium hypochlorite, orbleaching powder,

together with some suitable acid the solution being kept at boilingpoint for from eight to twelve hours, after which the mate rial isremoved and washed, in some cases with a solution of weak acid or soapand water.

According to this invention the material to be bleached is boiled in atank or the like receptacle for from one to two hours, in a solution ofa special powder, consisting of about equal parts of ordinary commercialn Sada.aniotsediunbicarbonate, the solution being made up approximatelyin the proportions of one ounce of such powder per gallon of water.After the material has been boiled for the period mentioned and whilethe solution is still boiling a small portion, say, about three percent. of a solution of sodium hypochlorite is addedTo the solution intie receptacle, and the combined solution boiled for another one to twohours. The bleaching operation is then completed and the material may beremoved and dried or treated in any suitable manner. If desired thesodium hypochlorite instead of %\being made up as a separate solution,may 5* be incorporated with the washing soda and sodium bicarbonate inthe first instance.

Such a process results in a considerable economy in the time requisitefor eifecting the bleaching operation, and is found to be Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed February 12, 1917.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

Serial No. 148,291.

in no wise detrimental to the fibrous character of the material beingtreated. Further, the one operation of boiling serves to Wash as well asbleach the fabric or other material, and the additional expensenecessitated by having separate washing baths, as in the usual process,is avoided. The process is found to be quite effective for bleachingordinary brown paper, for removing printers ink from old newspapers, andfor the ordinary bleaching requirements of the textile industries.

The powder consisting of equal parts of commercial washing soda or sodaash and of sodium bicarbonate may be used in weak solution for ordinarywashing purposes or as a cleanser for paint or varnish. By making thepowder up into a very strong solution, flax, hemp, jute and other fibersmay be decorticated or retted in. a few hours, thus securing aconsiderable saving over the present methods of dealing with suchfibrous material which require them to be left for a considerable timeto rot, thus necessarily weakening the fibers.

The powder is also of great value as a purifier and preservative forfish, hams and other foods, which have become high or 80 rancid, whileas a meat preservative in hot weather it has been foundsuperior to boraxor boracic acid. For scouring raw Wool in bulk and for cleaning it ofits impurities, a solution of the powder is found very efi'ective, thewool besides being cleaned and scoured having all the fats removed andrendered down.

I claim- The improved process for bleaching tex- 90 tile fabric or othermaterial, which consists in boiling the material to be bleached in asolution of commercialrwashing soda and sodium bicarbonate so--- as tosoften the gummy material therein, and subsequently 95 addinga smallquantity of sodium hypo; chl gri tertothe solution contaminant fabric.and a continuation of the boiling.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature .in presence of two witnesses.

A. J. DAVIES, J. M. GORMICK.

coplel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, .D. 0.

